Hexagonal hollow elastomer sealing strips

ABSTRACT

Elastomer seals embodying hexagonal tube with the internal elongated elastomer web structures characterized by elongated, inner webs joined together at their inner edges in the longitudinal axis of said tube and respectively intersecting the approximate mid-portion of the sides of said tube; useful for sealing concrete joints and other sealing applications, including automotive applications.

United States Patent [191 Pax [ 11 Dec. 11, 1973 1 HEXAGONAL HOLLOW ELASTOMER SEALING STRIPS [75] Inventor: James Pax, Findlay, Ohio [73] Assignee: The D. S. Brown Company, North Baltimore, Ohio 22 Filed: July 22,1971

21 Appl. No.: 165,004

[52] U.S. Cl. 404/65, 277/237 [51] Int. Cl. E0lc 11/10 [58] Field of Search 94/18, 18.2;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,521,528 7/1970 Wangerow 94/18 3,508,474 4/1970 Rowe 1,809,407 6/1931 Fox 277/226 3,585,910 6/1971 Brown et al.. 94/18 3,653,305 4/1972 Trieste et a1. 94/18 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 360,191 2/1962 Switzerland 138/115 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. Holko AttorneyJohnston, Root, OKeeffe, Keil, Thompson & Shurtleff [5 1 ABSTRACT Elastomer seals embodying hexagonal tube with the internal elongated elastomer web structures characterized by elongated, inner webs joined together at their inner edges in the longitudinal axis of said tube and respectively intersecting the approximate mid-portion of the sides of said tube; useful for sealing concrete 1 joints and other sealing applications, including automotive applications.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 1 I975 3, V V8, 176

"In I INVENTOR: JAMES H. PAX

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent'years, hollow, elongated elastomer strips have been developed for use as seals in concrete joints such as expansion and contraction joints in concrete roadways, air strips, bridges, and the like. These joint seals are inserted in a laterally compressed state into the joints to seal them against intrusion by water, solids and the like. The sides of the joint seal strips are in tight, sealing contact with the side walls of the slots or grooves forming the joint.

Joints of the aforesaid character are used in concrete pavement, similar concrete structures or bridge structures to allow for expansion and contraction of a given length of the concrete or bridge structure under'varying temperature conditions. Expansion joints, which extend transversely across roadways or bridges, are

wide enough to accommodate the lineal expansion of ally about one-fourth depth ofthe slab.'In both of these types of joints an important function is to prevent irregular breaking of the pavement due to expansion or contraction of the pavement since such irregular breaks are difficult to repair. Contraction joints serve mainly the purpose of providing planes of weakness extending crosswise of the pavement. Contraction joints usually crack the full depth of the slab when the concrete shrinks during curing.

Longitudinal pavement grooves or joints are those between longitudinal strips of pavement, for example, between lanes of a highway. The sealing elements herein described may be used in connection with any of these joints.

These joints must be sealed in order to prevent accumulation of unwanted particles such as sand, stones, dirt, or other incompressibles from entering the open joint, filling this space and preventing the slab from expanding and closing the joint opening. Joints are also sealed to prevent infiltration of water, which in cold weather would lead to heaving and cracking of the pavement adjacentthe joint or in summer allow the subgrade to erode. It has been standard practice for many years to fill such grooves with an asphalt or similar caulking type of filler which would yield during warm weather when the width of the joint becomes smaller due to expansion of the adjacent pavement lengths. Joints having such filling materials must be repaired and replaced periodically and normally require inspection and repairs at six-month intervals.

The subject elastomer seals have many other practical applications. The regular hexagonal configuration of the tubular wall has universal collapsibility, i.e., ability to collapse with sealing contact from pressures on any side thereof iritoa state of substantial symmetric collapse as in the case with pavement joints or into a state of unsymmetric collapse as shown in the illustrated automotive use. Where the sealing contact is made against a relatively weakwall or surface,'e.g., a light gauge metal wall, the subject seals can be made with relatively thin inner webs and outer wall sections whereby only a light sealing force is exerted in compression to effect the seal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns the invention of elastomer sealing strips useful for the sealing of paving joints of the character previously described. Other uses thereof include the sealing of a joint between structure of diverse types having opposing surfaces, wherein the space therebetween is to be sealed. Briefly, the elastomer seals herein comprise a regular hexagonal elastomer tube having equal sides and equal angles. The tube has an internal, elongated elastomer web structure characterized by three elongated, inner. webs crossing each other at the tubes longitudinal axis. The outer edges of .the webs intersect the tube at spaced intervals about its periphery. The radial webs preferablyintersect the respective sides of the tube at substantially the middle of each side of the six-sided'tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred embodimentsof the invention are illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred hexagonal elastomer tube with a crossed, three-web internal struc-.

ture; t p

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a state of partial lateral collapse;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a contraction joint sealed with the same embodiment in substantially full lateral collapse; t j

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an automotive air cleaner on an automotive carburetor; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on section plane 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

The illustrated embodiment comprises an elastomer tube 10 having a shape in transverse cross-section whichis substantially hexagonal, whereby the tube 10 has six elongated side walls 11-16. The tube 10 has an internal web structure adapted to coact with the side walls to give reinforcement or outward thrust when the strip is laterally collapsed. The internal web structure comprises a set of three, crossed webs 17-22, which intersect at the mid-portion of the tube at its longitudinal axis 23. The webs 17-22 have the outer edges thereof intersecting and joined with tube walls 11-16 at junctures 24-29. For purposes of providing the desired orientation of the web structures and the side walls of the tube in the state of lateral collapse, the aforesaid junctures are preferentially along the longitudinal mid-line of the walls 11-16.

The elastomer tube 10 is laterally collapsed by exerting pressure on opposite sides thereof. By virtue of its structure the tube will orient itself first for collapse of opposinglines of juncture 30-35 of the respective side walls of the tube inasmuch as these points are the points having least resistance to deformation. For purposes of illustration, the tube 10 is shown in the state of collapse in FIGS. 2 and 3 by opposing compressive forces exerted first against the wall intersections 30 and 31.

As the tube collapses its webs l7, 18, 20 and 21 bend. When the tube 10 reaches the state of lateral collapse shown in FIG. 2, adjacent pairs of sides or wall segments 14 and and 11 and 12, respectively, are planar. The junctures thereof with the wall segments or sides 13 and 16 are pushed outwardly by virtue of a toggle joint effect of the wall segments or sides 14, 15 and 11 and 12. This causes the wall segments or sides 13 and 16 to assume inward folds therein (FIGS. 2 and 3). The center portions of these walls are held by virtue of the attachment to the mid-portion thereof at junctures 26 and 29 of the straight webs 19 and 22.

FlG. 3 illustrates the tube 10 in a contraction joint 36 in concrete pavement 37. This joint creates a plane of weakness whereby, upon contraction, the concrete cracks at 38 below the joint and thus eliminates random cracking elsewhere.

One of the advantages of the sealing strips of FIGS. l-3 is the adaptability thereof in terms of orientation as a sealing member. The sealing strip structures can be collapsed between opposing faces acting against any of the pairs of wall segment junctures 24-29. Furthermore, in the fully collapsed state, the webs do not form 180 bends. The webs collapse into the orientation substantially as shown in FIG. 3. Such collapse has two distinct advantages. First, the less than 180 bends impose substantially less stress in the webs than do bends of 180. Second, 180 bends provide two plies of web thickness in the collapsed structure. The bends as shown in FIG. 3 provide only one ply for each web, thereby making possible a narrower width of the fully collapsed strip.

The sealing strip aforedescribed may be inserted in a concrete joint by manually operated or power operated tools or machines presently known in the art. These tools or machines laterally compress elastomer strips and insert them in a compressed state in the concrete joint where they are ejected from the tool or machine. It is thus also possible to insert the tubular sealing strip in the joint by simple hand tools such as blunt or softbladed hand tools which will not cut the elastomer tube.

While the invention herein is not limited specifically to particular elastomers or elastomer formulations, the preferred elastomers for use in sealing of highway and bridge joints is neoprene, and, more particularly, crystallization resistant neoprene. Such neoprene, when properly formulated in an extrudable composition, does not stiffen and lose its elasticity at low temperatures in the order of F. and above and does not take a large compression set when subjected to high temperatures, e.g., 120F. For other types of uses, such as the automotive uses hereinafter discussed, neoprene elastomers are also preferred inasmuch as the seals made therefrom are subject to a broad spectrum of temperature conditions created on the hot side by the heat of the engine and on the low side by atmospheric temperatures.

Other uses of the sealing strips include automotive uses wherein the sealing strips may be employed in linear form or in ring form as sealing members or gaskets. An exemplary use thereof is illustrated in FIG. 5,

wherein a sealing strip of hexagonal cross section, as shown in FIGS. l-3, is employed in the form of a ring gasket 40 in the peripheral bead 41 of an air cleaner 42 seated in a known manner on a carburetor 43.

The bead 41 is formed by crimping wall 45 of the air cleaner structure into a U-bend 46. The ring gasket 40 is compressed during the crimping between lip 47 of wall 44 and the outer wall 48 of U-bend 46 to seal the bead 41 against passage of air therethrough. The gasket 40 readily conforms to the shape of the seal compressing faces of members 47 and 48.

The sealing strip structures of this invention have a better service life, particularly when compounded from neoprene elastomers, than the heretofore cellular type sealing members and gaskets such as cellular polyurethanes. The latter are effective for sealing purposes for only a relativey short period because the heat of the engine has a deteriorating effect on the cellular structure with the result that the latter tends to collapse within a relatively short period of time, whereby the sealing strip or gasket loses its resiliency. The sealing strips herein, on the other hand, have excellent recovery from the collapsed or flattened state even when subjected in the latter state to high temperatures for prolonged periods.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A joint which is sealed by having compressed between opposed faces of said joint an elastomer seal which in the uncompressed state comprises an elongated, elastomer, regular hexagonal tube having equal sides and equal angles having therein three inner,

crossed webs extending across the tube and intersect- I ing at their midpoints, the outer edges of the respective crossed webs intersecting and being integral with the respective six sides of said tube substantially along the respective longitudinal midlines of said sides, said seal in the compressed state between said faces having flattened, planar side walls, each side wall consisting of a pair of adjacent sides of said hexagon with the webs intersecting the four respective sides being bent, and the opposite two remaining sides of the hexagon having radially inward folds with the respective webs connected thereto being straight.

2. A joint as claimed in claim 1 wherein said joint is a pavement joint between contiguous slabs of pavement, said faces being the opposed sides of the contiguous slabs of pavement which are spaced to form said pavement joint.

3. A component of an automotive engine forming said opposed faces between which is compressed, as a sealing gasket therebetween, an elastomer seal as claimed in claim 1.

e 4. A component as claimed in claim 3 wherein said gasket is in the shape of a ring. 

1. A joint which is sealed by having compressed between opposed faces of said joint an elastomer seal which in the uncompressed state comprises an elongated, elastomer, regular hexagonal tube having equal sides and equal angles having therein three inner, crossed webs extending across the tube and intersecting at their midpoints, the outer edges of the respective crossed webs intersecting and being integral with the respective six sides of said tube substantially along the respective longitudinal midlines of said sides, said seal in the compressed state between said faces having flattened, planar side walls, each side wall consisting of a pair of adjacent sides of said hexagon with the webs intersecting the four respective sides being bent, and the opposite two remaining sides of the hexagon having radially inward folds with the respective webs connected thereto being straight.
 2. A joint as claimed in claim 1 wherein said joint is a pavement joint between contiguous slabs of pavement, said faces being the opposed sides of the contiguous slabs of pavement which are spaced to form said pavement joint.
 3. A component of an automotive engine forming said opposed faces between which is compressed, as a sealing gasket therebetween, an elastomer seal as claimed in claim
 1. 4. A component as claimed in claim 3 wherein said gasket is in the shape of a ring. 